Washington Wines in the spotlight

We LOVE data at Wine.com. Because we track all of our orders and sales, we have great numbers to show what’s trending in wine. Each year, we take a look at the top growth varietals, wineries and regions. This year, there was a theme: Washington State. Both our Winery of the Year (Chateau Ste. Michelle) and our Wine Region of the Year show that Washington wines are on fire. It’s about time, right? Like many regions, the state produces a range of wines, from cellar collectibles to everyday values. Here are some great fun facts about the great state of Washington!

– The majority of vines in Washignton State are grown on their own rootstock, not grafted like most wine regions. This is because the state’s dessert-like conditions have kept the region phylloxera-free.

– There are currently 12 AVAs in Washington, though more are always petitioning to be added.

– Washington is the 2nd largest producer of wine in the US (after California) and has over 740 wineries in production and producing 12 million cases of wine.

One of my favorite things about Washington is that I think the wines of the state truly show a sense of place. And THAT is what makes wine unique and special.

It seems we’re not the only one thinking #wawine is on fire. Seems there will be a Twitter tasting this Friday, January 13th, featuring the wines of Washington. What do you have to do to participate? Simple. Open up and drink some great Washington Wine. According to Cliff Brown (@cliffordbrown3), the organizer of the tasting, people starting drinking about 6pm Central Time, and gets into full swing around 6pm PST. So join in by stocking up on some great Washington wine and use the hashtag, #WoWDay to follow along and share what you’re tasting.